Jeff Passan Gives Disappointing Cody Bellinger-Cubs Update
Cody Bellinger is one of the best remaining MLB free agents, but following his offseason saga has been exhausting for Chicago Cubs fans. It seems like every other day the rumors are going back and forth, making it look like a reunion is imminent one moment only to flip on a dime the next.
For the portion of the fanbase hoping to see Bellinger back at Wrigley Field next season, the latest rumor regarding his future isn't one that Cubs fans will want to hear.
Cubs Rumors: Blue Jays Favored to Land Bellinger
In an interview with ESPN 1000 on Wednesday, MLB insider Jeff Passan reported that "the Toronto Blue Jays need Cody Bellinger more than the Cubs do."
Jeff Passan on ESPN 1000 with @WaddleandSilvy today 🧵
— CHGO Cubs (@CHGO_Cubs) February 8, 2024
“I just feel like the Toronto Blue Jays need Cody Bellinger more than the Cubs do.”
Goes on to say the Blue Jays front office failures getting Ohtani and Yamamoto leads him to believe Toronto could eventually get desperate…
While he didn't outright say that Bellinger was going to take his talents up north, Passan did add that the Blue Jays' failure to land Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto could result in their making an offer that the Cubs can't match.
Passan goes on about how the Cubs and Bellinger do have a connection, but President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer might be unwilling to match the 28-year-old's terms. According to the insider, something in the neighborhood of over $200 million across seven or eight years could be too much for Chicago.
"[The Cubs] don’t wanna go $200+ million and if the price comes down on that if they could do a shorter term deal if they could do something with opt outs then, yeah, maybe it becomes more attractive to them but I don’t think the desperation is there."
- Jeff Passan
It'd be a sad day if Bellinger does leave Chicago for Toronto (or any other city).
The former NL MVP was terrific in his first season with the Cubs, leading the club in home runs (26) and RBIs (97) while adding 20 stolen bases, 40 walks, and a .307/.356/.525 slash line. His 133 OPS+ was also the second-best mark of his career, ranked 14th-best in the Majors, and played a big role in his finishing 10th in NL MVP voting.
Even if the situation doesn't look all that promising, Cubs fans shouldn't lose hope in a Bellinger return just yet. After all, nothing is official until he puts pen to paper
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